Joe Theismann, former NFL champion with Washington and esteemed Notre Dame alum, received the AutoZone Liberty Bowl's Distinguished Citizen Award Sunday. Recognizing Theismann's career in football and his post-game philanthropy, the award ranks him alongside icons such as Elvis Presley and Danny Thomas. Theismann jokingly reacted to his recognition, saying, "I'm on the same list as Elvis Presley, are you kidding?" during an event that supported St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, according to a Local Memphis report.
Celebrating Theismann's status as a sports icon, the award has previously been received by renowned sports figures and other celebrities like the 'King' Jerry Lawler, and FedEx founder Fred Smith. "To be included in that company is very humbling," Theismann expressed. He was honored at a function featuring live and silent auctions to benefit St. Jude's, as per an interview with FOX13 Memphis.
The award, described as one for "renowned Americans who have distinguished themselves and reached the pinnacle of their chosen field," has seen a roster of peers to whom Theismann now belongs. His contributions off the field, specifically his involvement with St. Jude, underscore the spirit of the honor. He operates a website where fans can request memorabilia to be signed, where he happily complies so long as donations are made to St. Jude in return, Local Memphis adds.
Having settled in Memphis with his wife, a Memphis native, Theismann calls the place home. Building on a relationship with his former attorney and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising arm of St. Jude, Theismann's connection to the community and the institution has grown over the years. "It's our home. The people are wonderful... Down here in the South, it doesn't get any better than this," Theismann told The Commercial Appeal. His work with St. Jude, part charity, part personal crusade, has made him a fixture of Memphis's philanthropic scene.
Theismann will also participate in the upcoming 29th Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl Golf Classic, where proceeds will continue supporting St. Jude. Reflecting on the institution he aids, Theismann said, "People call us athletes heroes, we're not. God gave me a gift to be able to throw and run. He gave other athletes a gift that's a gift from the good Lord upstairs...the men and women and the scientists and doctors at St. Jude, they're heroes because they restore families. They restore life." His statement from the award dinner was captured by Local Memphis. As the latest recipient of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Distinguished Citizen Award, Theismann's legacy is now permanently interwoven with the fabric of Memphis's spirited community and its heroic endeavors.
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